Choosing the Right Music for Videography: Best Practices in Video Editing
Music is one of the most powerful tools in videography. It has the ability to set the tone, enhance emotions, and elevate the overall impact of a video. Whether you're creating a promotional video, a YouTube vlog, or a cinematic short film, the right music can transform your footage into a compelling and immersive experience. In this guide, we'll explore the best practices for choosing the right music for videography and how to seamlessly integrate it into your video editing process.
Image Credit: Wistia
Why Music Matters in Videography
Before we dive into the technical aspects of choosing music, it’s essential to understand why music plays such a crucial role in videography:
- Emotional Impact: Music can evoke specific emotions, whether it’s excitement, sadness, tension, or joy. The right music will amplify the message you're trying to convey.
- Pacing and Flow: Music helps control the pacing of a video. Whether it’s upbeat and fast or slow and melancholic, the rhythm of the music can match the flow of your edits, guiding the viewer through the content.
- Engagement: Music can make your video more memorable and engaging. Well-chosen music enhances viewer retention and increases the likelihood of your content being shared.
1. Types of Music to Consider for Videography
The music you choose should align with the type of video you're producing. Here are some common types of music and their ideal use cases in videography:
1.1 Upbeat and Energetic Music
- Best For: Vlogs, commercials, travel videos, sports, and lifestyle content.
- Why It Works: Upbeat music with a fast tempo gives a feeling of excitement, motivation, and energy. It’s great for content that’s meant to be fun and engaging, like YouTube vlogs or Instagram stories.
- Examples: Pop music, electronic, indie rock, or dance beats.
1.2 Cinematic and Dramatic Music
- Best For: Short films, documentaries, trailers, corporate videos, and emotional storytelling.
- Why It Works: Cinematic music, especially orchestral or ambient, adds depth and drama to a story. It’s ideal for videos that require a serious or epic tone, like films, documentaries, or promotional videos.
- Examples: Orchestral scores, ambient soundtracks, or cinematic instrumental tracks.
1.3 Calm and Relaxing Music
- Best For: Meditation videos, wellness content, nature documentaries, and lifestyle videos.
- Why It Works: Soothing music with slow tempos or ambient tones helps create a calming atmosphere. It works well with content aimed at relaxation, such as wellness tutorials, product showcases, or nature footage.
- Examples: Acoustic guitar, piano, nature sounds, or light electronic beats.
1.4 Ambient and Minimal Music
- Best For: Corporate videos, intros/outros, product demos, or videos that require background music without drawing too much attention.
- Why It Works: Minimalistic ambient music provides a subtle atmosphere without overwhelming the visuals or message. It’s ideal for videos where the focus is on narration or visuals rather than the music itself.
- Examples: Electronic, ambient soundscapes, or simple instrumental music.
2. Where to Find the Right Music for Videography
Once you've identified the type of music you need, the next step is sourcing the track. Here are some of the best resources for finding high-quality, royalty-free music for your videos:
2.1 Epidemic Sound
- Best For: Professional-quality tracks for all types of videography.
- Features: Epidemic Sound has a vast library of music tracks and sound effects that can be licensed for commercial use. You can search by mood, genre, or instrument to find the perfect track for your video.
- Why It’s Great: They offer a subscription service, which gives you access to unlimited downloads, making it easy to experiment with different tracks.
2.2 Artlist
- Best For: Cinematic and emotional music.
- Features: Artlist provides high-quality music with a focus on cinematic and emotional genres. Their platform is easy to navigate, and they offer clear licensing for commercial use.
- Why It’s Great: Artlist offers a variety of styles, including electronic, orchestral, and indie rock, making it a versatile option for filmmakers.
2.3 YouTube Audio Library
- Best For: Free music for YouTube videos.
- Features: YouTube’s Audio Library offers a wide range of free music and sound effects, most of which are available for use in any YouTube video without copyright issues.
- Why It’s Great: It’s free, and you can filter tracks by genre, mood, and duration, making it a convenient option for creators on a budget.
2.4 Soundstripe
- Best For: Consistent, high-quality music for ongoing video projects.
- Features: Soundstripe offers a subscription-based service for unlimited access to a vast library of music. The tracks are curated, ensuring high quality across genres.
- Why It’s Great: They focus on high-quality tracks that cater to specific use cases, from upbeat tracks for social media content to cinematic scores for narrative films.
2.5 Free Music Archive (FMA)
- Best For: Independent creators looking for free, legally-licensed tracks.
- Features: Free Music Archive is a great resource for finding free music under Creative Commons licenses. While the selection is smaller than some paid services, there’s a wide variety of genres available.
- Why It’s Great: Perfect for those on a budget, FMA allows you to use tracks legally as long as you comply with the licensing requirements.
3. Best Practices for Integrating Music into Your Video Editing Workflow
Once you’ve selected the right track, it’s time to incorporate it into your video. Here are some best practices to follow when syncing music with video in your editing software:
3.1 Sync Music to Video Pacing
- Cutting to the Beat: For energetic or fast-paced videos, align the cuts and transitions with the beats of the music. This gives the video a cohesive rhythm and makes the visuals feel more dynamic.
- Match the Music’s Tempo: Slow down or speed up your video clips to match the tempo of the music, particularly for narrative or cinematic videos. This helps maintain the emotional connection between the audio and visuals.
3.2 Adjust Music Levels
- Balancing Dialogue and Music: If your video includes narration or dialogue, lower the volume of the music during speaking parts. Use keyframes to automate volume changes or apply a low-pass filter to reduce the music’s prominence when speech is happening.
- Ambient Sound: In some cases, a background track is necessary but should not overpower the visuals. Use the volume slider in your video editing software to keep music subtle, or apply an audio fade to let the visuals shine.
3.3 Use Transitions for Smooth Music Integration
- Crossfade and Fade In/Out: Use fades to avoid abrupt transitions between music tracks or when introducing a music cue at the start or end of a video. A crossfade or gradual fade-out can make the music feel natural and seamless.
- Cutting at Musical Cues: When making cuts between scenes, use musical cues to determine the best spot to cut. A sudden drop in the music or a change in rhythm can be a perfect moment for a scene change.
3.4 Match the Mood of the Music with Visuals
- Emotional Synchronization: Ensure that the tone of the music matches the emotional content of your video. For example, if you're showing serene nature footage, choose a calm, peaceful track to complement the visuals.
- Build and Release: For more cinematic or dramatic videos, use music that builds up to key moments and releases during climactic scenes. This can make a significant impact on the viewer’s experience.
4. Avoiding Common Mistakes When Choosing Music for Videography
Here are some common mistakes to avoid when selecting and integrating music into your video projects:
4.1 Choosing Music That’s Too Distracting
While music is important, it should not overpower your message. Avoid choosing overly loud, aggressive, or busy tracks unless they fit the theme of your video. Keep the focus on the visuals and narrative.
4.2 Ignoring Copyright Rules
Always ensure that the music you use is properly licensed. Even if you’re using royalty-free music, it’s essential to read the licensing terms to avoid copyright issues, especially if you're monetizing your content.
4.3 Forgetting to Match Audio with Video Edits
When making cuts or transitions in your video, ensure the music flows naturally with the video edits. Abrupt changes in music without corresponding edits in the video can make the content feel jarring and unnatural.
FAQ: Choosing the Right Music for Videography
1. Can I use popular music in my videos?
It’s important to use music you have permission to use. Popular music is typically protected by copyright, so unless you have a license or permission from the artist, you cannot use it without risking your video being taken down or demonetized.
2. How do I find music that fits the mood of my video?
Many music libraries allow you to filter tracks by mood, genre, and instrument. Think about the emotion or tone you want to convey in your video and search for tracks that align with that feeling.
3. Should I use a single track throughout the video or multiple tracks?
It depends on your video’s pacing and tone. If your video is fast-paced, multiple tracks can help keep the energy up. For a more cinematic or emotional piece, a single, well-chosen track may work better.
Conclusion
Choosing the right music is a vital part of the video editing process. Whether you’re working on a corporate promo, a wedding video, or a travel vlog, the right music will elevate your video, enhance its emotional impact, and engage your audience. By considering the mood, tempo, and pacing of your video, and choosing the appropriate music genre, you’ll create a powerful, professional video that resonates with your viewers.
If you’re looking for a studio to record your podcast, create videos, or get professional editing services, Finchley Studio is the perfect place to bring your vision to life. We offer everything from expert video editing to a wide range of recording and production services. Book your session with us today!
Source
Choosing the Right Music for Videography: Best Practices in Video Editing: https://babelee.com/blog/how-to-choose-the-right-music-for-your-videos/#:~:text=If%20you%20aim%20for%20a,intrusive%20or%20annoying%20for%20viewers.
